Visitors from Finland share, absorb culture

If you've detected a Nordic accent this week at San Clemente's pier, downtown or city offices, or at Mission San Juan Capistrano or Dana Point Harbor, chances are it was from one of five visitors from Finland who are here to share a bit of their culture and learn about ours.

Did you know that Teemu Selanne and two other Anaheim Ducks hockey players hail from Finland? Or that Finland's first female president bore a striking resemblance to American comedian Conan O'Brien? That Finns go ice fishing in the winter and some children are known to jump in the lakes just days after the ice melts?

The local visitors described their home life Wednesday evening at a meeting of San Clemente's Sunrise and noontime Rotary clubs, which are hosting the Finns in Rotarians' homes while driving them to visit sites as diverse as San Diego's Old Town and San Clemente's sewage-treatment plant.

The group is spending a week in San Clemente as part of a month-long group study exchange sponsored by Rotary International.

Anna-Maria Nevalainen, an urban planner, got to compare notes with San Clemente's urban planners during a visit to the city Planning Department. Pekka Pietila, a consulting engineer, got a look at San Clemente's wastewater treatment operations. Titta Soimasuo, a health-care professional, toured Saddleback Memorial Medical Center San Clemente with hospital administrator Tony Struthers, a Rotarian.

The group dined at Fisherman's Restaurant, learned some local history at Casa Romantica, took a scenic Ortega Highway drive to the overlook above Lake Elsinore, explored Carlsbad's outlet mall and learned about marine life at the Ocean Institute in Dana Point.

On Sunday, San Clemente Rotarians will hand off the visitors to Long Beach Rotarians as the adventure continues.

VISITORS' IMPRESSIONS

"First of all, everybody is so happy. I was walking in the morning and there's lots of healthy-looking people. I am so happy to see that. You can be over 80 years old and still you are so active." – Aino Siippainen

"Most of the surprise is that people are just incredibly welcoming. We have been taken so good care of here. All of our hosts and everyone driving us around has just been amazing. We are still wondering how can it be possible that we get like this kind of a free tour of California. San Clemente has been a very beautiful town. It looks so Mediterranean." – Hanna van der Steen

"Last week we went in Huntington Beach. We saw the beach already. Of course, there is a different kind of scenery in San Clemente. It's beautiful also. What about Americans? I knew already that they are very friendly. Their hospitality is at a high level. In California you dress very casual. I like this. You are a very relaxed people." – Titta Soimasuo

"The (visitors) are very friendly, outgoing and anxious to learn. I learned that their language is only spoken in their country. They're the only people who speak Finnish in the world." – Rotarian Rick Anderson

"It is surprisingly clean on the streets, on the beach." – Pekka Pietila

"I love that (beach) trail where the people are talking in the morning. It was great to see you have this healthy way of living." – Anna-Maria Nevalainen